December 01, 2009

R.E.M.

This anonymous administrator gives us directions to the player's dressing rooms – walk up, you will reach my office, then right, and you’re there. My kit is supposed to have reached earlier, at least I hope it has, as I trudge my way up boxes and a makeshift staircase.

I reach a small room with a light shaft for a window. I cannot find my playing whites nor can I trace my shoes. There’s an attendant at hand, who takes out a pile of white shirts – I try a few, they’re old, washed out, doesn’t he have anything halfway decent for a cricketer?

That’s when the white with the blue cowboy highlights appears, an acquaintance approves. There’s this batting card scribbled on a chart paper, surprised to see my name seven down, thought I was up at three, anyway, what about the shoes, wallet, mobiles – do they let phones into dressing rooms?

We’re going to field. Some nerves kicking in, I tell Mishra it’s been a while since I bowled with a cricket ball, been tennis all along. Mishra agrees, says it’s the same with him. Feel better already.

I don’t want to field at mid off. Btw this is the Brabourne stadium, but it doesn’t look like it. I’m on to bowl. First ball cross seam, give it a real rip – though I was hoping more not to lose my grip. Gain landing rights, pitches at a good length on off, batsman goes for, I really don’t recall what shot, but he’s bowled middle.

I remember my celebration though, it was a send off but not to the batsman – in hindsight it was more like a bus conductor asking passengers to board. I enjoyed that.

Then my next wicket, batsman’s so far down, think he’ll make the bowling crease – will he be stumped, no bowled again.

In spite of my two wickets in one over, they wangle 154 of 20. Clearly I was under bowled.

4 comments:

Soulberry said...

I'm missing something :)

Sree?

Gaurav Sethi said...

SB, not Sree but me. A dream that stuck.

scorpicity said...

Whatever you were smoking, do share it with me!! Love it for the cheer chaos of the post figuring out what the hell is happening.

BTW, did you play any serious form of pro cricket.

Gaurav Sethi said...

scorpi, not smoke but sangria.

These days, I have an unfair advantage, playing as I am with under 10s, and in my dreams.